Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

My Bloody Valentine Blu-ray Movie Review

“Daddy gone away, Harry Warden made you pay.”

Reviewed by Dustin Somner December 12, 2009

The slasher genre has undergone an interesting evolution over the years, from a taboo form of artistic expression to a widely accepted money-maker. While I can’t say I’ve been excited about the never-ending remake train over the past decade, I can understand Hollywood’s desire to cash in on a new generation of horror fans, who likely aren’t aware of the remake’s predecessor. In most cases I haven’t fallen prey to that scenario, but My Bloody Valentine broke my streak of horror awareness, since I’d never heard of the 1981 original prior to the release of the 2009 remake. To be fair I still haven’t seen the recent 3-D release (so I guess you could say I’m still watching the franchise in the correct order), but it would seem a bit more impressive (as a film buff) if I didn’t have to admit this is my first viewing of My Bloody Valentine.

For any newcomers to the slasher genre, My Bloody Valentine followed in the wake of iconic classics such as Halloween and Friday the 13th, at a time when the Hollywood studio system was just beginning to warm up to the cash-laden prospect of ultra-violent films. However, once the film was completed, the MPAA began a crusade to reduce violence in films and forced Paramount to cut out the most graphic death scenes. The film still managed to acquire a lukewarm following, but never achieved the success of other slasher films of the time. Now that I’ve seen the footage originally removed from the film (thanks to Lionsgate acquiring the rights from Paramount), I’m convinced the unedited version of the film would have done far better during the original theatrical run.

Someone in this scene won't be alive when the credits roll.

In the small Canadian mining town of Valentine Bluff, locals tell the legend of a young miner who exacted revenge on prominent members of the town for leaving him stranded in the mines while they attended the local Valentine ’s dance. Trapped underground for weeks, the miner eventually lost his mind and turned to cannibalism to survive the ordeal. Flash forward 20 years, and the town has barely aged a day. The young men of the town still work in the mines, while their perky girlfriends anxiously await their emergence at night. Believing the legend of Harry Warden is merely a long-forgotten chapter in the town’s history the mayor has resurrected the Valentine’s Day dance for a new generation of youngsters to enjoy. It may seem innocent enough, but someone in the town isn’t happy about the upcoming celebration, and intends to put an end to the festivities. Has Harry Warden returned for a new round of vengeance, or is there a new monster responsible for the delivery of red Valentine’s boxes filled with human organs? Before the night is out, everyone will know…

My Bloody Valentine is a surprisingly effective slasher flick, with impressive gore effects, excellent low-budget production values, and a roster of competent actors. The story never delivers dramatic twists and turns, but the mystery behind the killer’s motivation (and the villain’s identity) lends enough intrigue to hold your attention during the slower portions of the film and effectively bridges the gap between the numerous death scenes. One of the primary strengths of the film is the dreary setting of the underground mines, which creates a claustrophobic climax to the film, as the remaining survivors are hunted through the maze of tunnels. It’s one thing to escape a psychotic killer across the open countryside, but something entirely different when facing the limited options of an underground network. The best comparison I can provide is the recent release of The Descent, which also incorporated an underground setting to build a foundation of unease. Whether you hate tight spaces or not, there’s no denying the tension generated by the atmosphere in My Bloody Valentine.

If you’re a fan of slasher films, you probably have a twisted fascination with gut-wrenching death sequences. In that regard, My Bloody Valentine is one of the stronger entries from the early 1980’s, clearly pushing the boundaries of what the MPAA would find acceptable for an “R” rating. If you’ve never had the opportunity to watch the unrated cut of the film and found it a bit tame on your initial viewing, it’s time to give it a second shot. Between the multiple pickaxe murders (two through the chest and one through the skull), the inventive use for a boiling pot of hot dogs, a grisly encounter with a clothes dryer, and the effective incorporation of a nail gun, the effects team never shies away from an opportunity to make the audience wince. Needless to say, those with a weak stomach should avoid this film like the plague.

Despite my overall enjoyment of the film, it still has several flaws worth pointing out. First, I was somewhat let down by the tendency to telegraph every scene where the killer appears. There are certain cues in the setting of each scene that make it abundantly clear we are about to see someone meet their demise. Part of the thrill in a good horror picture is the rush of surprise when a scenario plays out differently than you expected. When that element is absent from a thriller, were left with an entertaining but forgettable experience. Second, I was a bit disappointed in the way the ending of the film played out. You reach a point where you have a fairly good idea who the killer might be, so the element of surprise is gone by the time the final unmasking occurs. Along those lines, the eventual identity of the killer leads to a weak subplot that doesn’t make much sense in the context of the film. The best horror franchises have memorable psychopaths at the heart of the story (Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and Jason Voorhees), which create the lasting appeal of the film. I’d still watch My Bloody Valentine in the future, but the lack of a memorable villain takes a degree of the fun out of multiple viewings.

My Bloody Valentine Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 22Mbps), My Bloody Valentine looks incredible for a low budget slasher film that's rapidly approaching its 30th anniversary. It baffling to think a film of this nature could look better than some of the releases I've seen from the past ten years, but whatever time capsule this source material was pulled from offers a new benchmark in film preservation. Once you get past the opening title sequence of the film, fine object detail is absolutely stunning, revealing texturing and intricacies not normally found in productions of the early 80's. Adding to the proficiency of the transfer, the color spectrum is entirely natural, avoiding the stylistic trappings of other heavily filtered horror offerings of the decade. Whether in daylight or the dark interior of the underground mines, I never noticed a tendency for dingy hues to emerge, which seemed surprising given the unpleasant subject matter of the film. Adding to the polished presentation, black levels maintain consistent depth, allowing contrast room to clearly differentiate between the darker and lighter aspects of the picture. Lastly, I never noticed the presence of artifacting, edge enhancement, or the blatant use of DNR, leaving this viewer with little to complain about in the overall image quality.

Despite the positives mentioned above, those with an interest in the extended cut of the film might have a degree of reservation when it comes to the quality of the reinserted footage. You'll immediately notice when a scene has been added back in, since it exhibits a loss of detail and color balance (see screenshot number 12). Add in some noticeable print damage with a blanket of film grain, and you have some fairly weak moments in the film. You're probably assuming I'm in the viewing camp that knocks the film for these shortcomings, but I actually found them surprisingly pleasing. While watching the extended cut of the film (which I chose first), I assumed the gritty nature of the photography in the gory segments represented the director's intention (to match the grisly nature of the onscreen action), but it wasn't until I watched the regular version that I realized those "gritty" scenes were reinserted footage. Either way you look at it, your appreciation for the extended scenes will boil down to a matter of taste, and I'm sure there will be plenty of viewers that disagree with my opinion regarding the additional scenes.

My Bloody Valentine Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As impressed as I was with the video quality, I was equally let down by the audio offerings on the disc. My Bloody Valentine doesn't realize much of an upgrade in the transition to surround sound, so the inclusion of a lossless surround track is the beer equivalent of pouring a can of Pabst into an empty microbrew bottle. No matter what it looks like, you're still drinking generic, tasteless brew (my apologies to any fans of Pabst). Despite dressing up the audio track in an appealing home theater package, you simply can't change the fact that this is a low-budget sound design that rarely exhibits much polish. One of the first things you'll notice about the DTS audio track is the front-heavy delivery of the mix, which rarely opens up or stands out. I can't think of a single moment where the film truly wowed me with the use of the surround field, though I also can't say I really expected it to. Additionally, I was a little disappointed in the volume level of the dialogue from time to time, since there are multiple scenes where it becomes difficult to decipher character's lines (check out the nine minute mark when the police chief says something completely inaudible). Fortunately, the low volume never occurred during critical moments of the film, but it still serves as a demerit on the overall audio presentation.

Although I was less than impressed with the audio presentation on this release, I understand the difficulty in upgrading non-surround source material for a modern day technical presentation. I did my best to reflect those sentiments in my overall audio score, and I hope the majority of viewers will take the age of the film into account when passing judgment on the audio experience.

My Bloody Valentine Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Bloodlust: My Bloody Valentine and the Rise of the Slasher Film (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 20:36 min): Narrated by Adam Rockoff (author of "Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film") and director George Mihalka, this featurette looks back on the history of the slasher genre leading up to My Bloody Valentine, before descending into a typical present day historical outlook on the film's production. Topics of discussion tend to focus on the difficulties with shooting in the mine setting, the gore effects, and how the villain was developed. By the time we reach the second half of the featurette, this becomes more of a marketing tool for the recent remake, which is a real shame. Longtime fans of the film should find a lot to like about the first half of the supplement, but you can skip the last ten minutes.

Deleted Scenes (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, various length): this collection of scenes can be viewed in the extended cut of the film (selectable from the main menu), or presented here in standard definition with an introduction by various members of the cast or crew. While I didn't find much point in watching the segments themselves (especially immediately after watching the extended cut of the film), I enjoyed the interviews that precede each scene.

Bloodlines: An Interactive Horror Film History: This text-based supplement provides viewers with an extensive library of historical information on various aspects of the horror genre. Reading through each segment, I'm realizing I'll have a healthy number of horror films to catch up on as they hit the Blu-ray format.

Rounding out the extras, we have a high-definition trailer (low quality) for My Bloody Valentine and a Lionsgate advertisement trailer.

My Bloody Valentine Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you've never seen My Bloody Valentine, I'd certainly recommend giving it a spin to decide for yourself how it stacks up to classics such as Halloween and Friday the 13th. The creativity in the death sequences will provide gore-hounds plenty of reason to squeal with glee, and the use of an underground mine as the main setting adds to the claustrophobic tension of the final act. This new Blu-ray edition of the film provides long-time fans with the significant upgrade they've been waiting for, with a visual presentation that's not to be missed, and an audio track that retains the feel of the original sound design. Offered at a modest introductory price by Lionsgate, any horror junkie should consider this a wise investment in their growing high-definition collection.